Rio: Life Goes On
by Cybroid
Summary: Will has been through a lot. Changing from one species to another. The threat of the Agency. And now he has one more challenge before he can finally rest. Parenthood.
1. Memories

**Guess who's back? It's been a while (to me, it has) since I did a story on the Rio archive, since I've been working on my Homefront story (which is going great). So before I get started, I would like to say that I have enjoyed this archive the most, and thanks to all you readers and authors who have supported me through my stories. I plan for this story to be a bunch of random one-shots and short stories (no, I don't mean to copy others who have done this). So without further interruption, I give you the next chapter of The Agency Saga :)**

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The light of the sun peaked over the trees. All was still quiet, and the Spix macaw remained asleep. At least, most of it were asleep. One blue macaw had woken before the rest of the tribe. His eyelids drooped lazily over his brown eyes, for he hadn't been resting well lately. This macaw was none other than William. He had been through a lot during his life, and now, he was finally at peace. But he did not feel at peace.

He balanced himself on one talon, holding a photo in the other. The eyes of the avian never moved from it.

In the picture, there were many others in it. Some of them had been cut out of other images and glued in ways that made them seem like they fit, for they were not present when the photo was taken. From the left, it started with two grey kites, Bou and Lou. They were twins, though there were still a few differences. Bou appeared a little larger, with his head feathers spiking higher then hers, and had blue eyes, while Lou had green. The first time he had met them was during his first tour in Rio.

Next was a family of canaries. The father, Logan, Will had met in his first visit to a well-known club in Rio. His wings were a very light yellow, getting darker to a bright orange at the tips, almost matching his amber brown eyes. He had one spike of head feathers, a darker shade of yellow than his body. With him stood his mate, Anita, and his three children. They were the first to be stuck in, between the kites and two macaws.

One of these two was a Hyacinth, about Will's size with grey eyes and her head feathers smoothed down and curved up at the back making a pointed tip at the end. Carrying her was an unusually tall military macaw, with most of his feathers being a light green. He had a scar down one eye, and it made his grin seem evil in a way as he held the Hyacinth up. His other, dark brown eye could be seen clearly. The top of his head had three feathers towards the left, sticking right up. The dark blue macaw was Lilian, and Cody was her boyfriend.

Next was a large family of toucans. And by large, there was at least 20, maybe a bit over. The father was Rafael, one of first friends Will made. The tip of his feathers were grey, and his beak orange, with a black heart shape on the end. His wife, Eva, was yelling at a pair of their children. She had a multi-colored beak, with another heart shape, but pink.

Beside them were a canary with a bottle cap resting atop his had, and a red-crested cardinal, their wings covering their ears as the female toucan screeched. The two friends were Nico and Pedro, and were present with Rafael when Will first awoke into his new life. They also owned the famous club in Rio.

After those two was a scarlet macaw. If he had blue instead of red, he would have been the spitting image of Will. He was Jack, and like Will, his life had been hard.

He stood by an old, dark brown falcon with his head smoothed down, leaning on a stick with a large, grey owl with a lighter belly and large wings behind him. The falcon's name was Zeel, and the owl's Fortune.

After them, there was another of his friends that had been stuck on. This bird was a black-billed magpie. Andres was his name, and he had met him on his way to the Amazon jungle the first time.

Then there was a family of blue macaws. The adult male was Blu, and the female was Jewel. In front of them were their three children, Tiago, Bia and Carla.

They were followed by William himself and his mate, Larissa with her hazel eyes and several feathers atop her head towards the middle, making a slight lump and making it's way down the back of her head as it spread out to make a small fan shape at the back, who held each other closely while she had one wing on her rounded belly.

And lastly, there was Emma. She had emerald green eyes and like William, she was a blue macaw. Her head feathers hung low by the back of her head, curving upwards at the end. But they both weren't always birds.

In his first trip to Rio, he had been turned into a bird by an organization called 'the Agency'. They illegally tested on humans and animals alike, and had changed Will and several others into birds. And he hated them for it. But in a way, he thanked them for it as well. For if not for them, then he would not have lived this life full of excitement, adventure and friendship.

He drifted back into his memories. He recalled his first few days in Rio, when he had been a human. Then, he remembered the first day he was a bird. When it all started. His new life flashed before him. His first flying lesson, going to the club, saving everyone from a cockatoo, his near-death experience, his journey to the Amazon, being saved by Zeel, meeting Larissa for the first time, stopping Crone, him and Larissa coming together, seeing his parents, finding Mema, being captured by Stalker, his friends coming to save him, fighting and beating Stalker, the photo being taken, the birth of Blu and Jewel's grandchildren, then lastly, the day his children were born. That day was one of the happiest days of his life.

A tear dropped from his eye, and it was no tear of sadness, but happiness. He let the photo drop after the tear to the ground from his talon, and turned to his mate and three beautiful children. And let loose a smile before joining them, leaving the photo next to his old pack, safely tucked under it.

He laid by Larissa, and heard her murmur something in her sleep. He embraced her warmth as he wrapped his wings around her, carefully putting one beneath her, and tried his best to sleep. But just like the other recent nights, it was not so easy.

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 **Ah, memories. Sometimes, the best memories are with friends and family. Hope you all enjoyed, and I wish you all luck in the world. Goodbye, for now :)**


	2. Left Behind

**Hello again, everyone! If you want to know, I won't be updating this story as much, so be prepared for long waits. But, of course, there are over Rio stories every day. So check those other authors and their stories. Anyway, on with the story :)**

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At first, Will felt worried. He felt no warmth by his side, and when he opened his eyes. His mate was missing. If it wasn't for the bright yellow orb in the sky, he would have assumed she had been taken in the night. He was always cautious, in case his old foes were to return. After discovering it was late morning, he climbed out from the comfortable nest and began his morning stretches, which included cracking his back and neck a bit. He spent half a minute doing this until he was certain that his muscles were fully awake. Only then did he decide to take a morning flight. He stepped out onto the branch below the hollow entrance, and basked in the sun for a short moment, taking in the fresh air. He then stretched his wings out gracefully, arched his upper body forward, ready to do a runner towards the end of the branch, and then-

"BOO!" The sudden loud voice startled the blue macaw so much that he ended up falling, a screech escaping his throat, stopping himself before hitting the ground with a lucky catch of a lower branch. And who else would be above him, but his troublemaker of a son, Lucas. He could feel the wingbeat from his large wings, his hazel eyes staring down victoriously. He had short tail feathers, and one head feather pointing up. The mischievous child fluttered down, still managing to stay in the air during his laughing fit. It seemed that all that time laughing paid off, so he could do it at anytime, while doing anything. Will pulled himself up and stood, watching his son come to his feet. It was a stupid move for the boy, as his father's talon shot out and wrapped itself around the tall macaw's waist. He wriggled around, but when he saw his father's menacing eyes close to his, he ceased his struggle.

"H-hi dad" his voice was shaken with fear, the unlimited punishments rushing through his head. Fortunately, Will was forgiving at the time. But that didn't stop him from giving a lecture. As soon as he set his son down, the young macaw knew what he was in for.

"Do you realize how dangerous that was? If I hadn't caught this branch, I could have been killed" he scolded, shaking a feather like a finger at the boy. He could already see his son's lower beak quivering, and his eyes becoming wet from fresh tears. He kept on going, though this time less stern, kneeling down to the chick's height. "Maybe next time, think about what you are doing. Okay?" He spread his wings into a welcoming hug. His son nodded slowly and accepted the hug. They held it, and later broke it. Will used a feather to wipe a tear and a smile broke across his face. "No more, okay?" His son nodded again. "Now go play." Unexpectedly, his son took off. He could have sworn he heard snickering. Only then did he recall how much of a trickster the prankster was. He was about to give chase when he heard someone land by his side, and turned his head to the lovely face of his mate. He felt hypnotized by her hazel eyes. It took most of his willpower to move his eyes from hers and notice the talon full of berries she held.

"Good morning, dear" she greeted with her light tone. Her voice always soothed his heart. She nuzzled her head against his neck, and he did the same with the top of her head feathers, soon meeting his beak with hers. "You ready for tonight?" Will nodded and they shared a kiss.

"So sweet" a tiny voice piped in. They both looked down to find their tiny daughter, Emma. She held a purple berry in her small yet firm grip. Her hazel eyes watched them from below. They both smiled down sweetly at their adorable daughter. However, the moment was short lived when Lucas came flying by. And at a low height, snatching one of the berries his mother carried from the branch.

"Thanks mom!" he called back. Will prepared to give chase, but Larissa held him back with a wing on his shoulder. He looked at her, confused.

"Deal with him later. Right now, you should eat." He gave a nod and picked up a couple of berries himself and took each in one gulp. He prepared himself once again, this time giving Larissa a look that requested permission to leave. She granted it with a playful wink, and he took off.

His search was in vain, however. No matter where he looked, he could not find the boy anywhere. But he could guess where he was. He scoured the several hideouts he had found over the past year. Some were abandoned rotting trees, and some were logs, and even a few were burrows. But all were empty. He had to admit that the boy was smart. But he had to come home some time. And when he did, he would be there.

He returned home, huffing and puffing from his tiring flight. Larissa and his two other children were there to greet him. Emma was resting in the children's nest, as they all slept in the same one, so it was twice the size of the parents nest. It made her look smaller than what she really was. He noticed that they also had a visitor. Roderick sat with who he called his Aunt Bia and listened to her lessons.

He was much like her, being into things that others normally weren't interested in. Will guessed it was the human side of him. He recalled how different she was to her younger self, when he first met her. The feathers on the back of her head had grown to the bottom of her neck, and her tail had fanned out more. Her brown eyes had grown larger, but her wings were still at the same scale to the rest of her body. So they were still small compared to the rest of her.

Roderick's own features resembled hers by a lot. His intelligent brown eyes were much like hers, and he had three feathers drooping back, the middle being a half longer than the others. His tail even curved slightly like hers. His own wings, though, were of normal size.

She held one of her old books she had kept with her since she was young. On the front, it had the words 'Bird Mutations', so Will guessed she was teaching him about mutations in a bird's DNA. Roderick noticed his father and glanced up to give a small wave before returning to the world of knowledge. Bia chuckled to herself at how his eyes never left the pages, and she turned it before he got to attached.

"Any luck?" Larissa asked. Will shook his head, frowning as he did. He let out a heavy sigh and his head hung low. She lifted it with a wing so they were almost beak to beak and staring into each other's eyes. "He'll come back. Besides, I have a plan." She leaned in and whispered into his ear. He smirked, liking every bit of it.

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For most of the day, Lucas had hid in one of his secret hideouts that he knew his father had never found. It was well stocked, with a berry bush nearby, plenty of shade and a creek just below the hole in the tree. It was too small for anything bigger than him, and he could just barely fit in. He peeked outside, and once the fugitive was sure it was clear, he sped past, clearly knowing of the danger that could have lurked nearby. But there was another reason for his great speed. Very soon, there was to be a little concert. It was being hosted by his Aunt Carla, and that's why he wanted to be there. Because if she was there, then surely _the one_ was there too. Just thinking about her made his heart pound. He closed his eyes, imagining her before him. Luckily, he opened them to narrowly dodge a tree, only to crash through a cob web, followed by some leaves, then some twigs. When he came out the other side, he looked like some kind of jungle monster. Spitting bits of leaves and webs out of his beak as he flew, he hoped that no one would see him, let alone recognize him.

When he came upon his tree, he ducked through a hole he had always covered in case of emergencies and darted into the bath they had after making sure it was empty. He was sure he was safe. He was mistaken, as he spotted a dark shadow covering him. He felt a gulp down his throat as he looked up to see his father glaring down at him.

"H-hi again. H-how are you?" he asked. His father made no attempt to answer, and instead dragged him out from the water and sat him in the chick nest. He had his wings folded onto each other and stood tall before him.

"You are in _big_ trouble, mister." Lucas looked at his talons glumly. "For your punishment, you are staying here. The others already left." The chick's beak fell open. The one chance he had to see her, and he blew it. He mentally kicked himself, his own wings crossed with a pouting face. "You only have yourself to blame." With that, his father turned and left the boy to sit in the parent's nest and began sorting through things with his back on the troublemaker. Time went by at a slow pace, and the chick had nothing to do. Sometimes, he paced back and forth, and other times he tried to sleep. But he couldn't stop thinking on what he was missing. Lucas soon had enough. It was time to put his own plan into action. He rotated himself around and, using a stick from the nest, began drawing his invisible map, memorizing the movements of the stick as if he were drawing in dirt.

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Will was peacefully sorting through a collection of books that Roderick had been given by Blu and Bia, searching for something to read. He soon found one that was a personal favorite, and opened up a story 'Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring'. He enjoyed every bit, however the occasional grunts from his son disturbed his peace. He occasionally looked back to find him playing with a stick. However, the tenth time he looked, he found himself surprised. Roderick had disappeared. He rushed over, and all he found was the stick he had. He picked it up, then noticed something attached to it. Before he knew it, he had activated one of his son's magnificent traps.

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 **What is his plan? Find out in the next chapter. See you all then :)**


	3. Escape Artist

Will's eyes were fixed on the length of string that was tightly secured on the small stick in his talon. As soon as he pulled it, he already regretted it as he heard a snap, and the other end of the vine came flying to him.

With his son Lucas, he had been given some of the smarts. But only the parts that led to mischief. Such as how to know where your father would land when he fell back. And where his talon would be once he was on the ground. And he had done his measurements precisely.

Will felt a tug on his left talon, and he was flicked up in an instant as a yelp escaped his beak. At the same time, he caught sight of a few empty nuts in a vine net fall in front of him, hitting the ground with a loud thump. And then another vine fell around him before tightening around his waist, pinning his wings by his sides. By the end of it, he was hanging upside down, helplessly swinging from side to side. He held an angered glare, trying to hold it in. But he couldn't for long.

"LUCASSSS!"

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The young macaw wondered if his trap had been triggered yet. He snickered at the thought of his father hanging upside down, helpless. But he knew that when he went home, he would be in loads of trouble. That's when his grin disappeared. With his plans, he always thought it through. Except for the punishment. He never thought it through, because he always thought he would get away with it.

The thumping of the music reached his ears, and that's when he stopped. He was close to reaching his goal now. Though he didn't want to get caught. So he perched himself on a nearby tree, and scanned carefully. The club was made up of a dome shape, the outer shell made up of leaves weaved together with long sticks to hold it together. At the entrance of the club, there was no one he knew. But he didn't want to risk it, and went to the side. He knew just about every side way in to everywhere in the tribe.

He squeezed his way through the weaved wall of thick leaves and sticks. Where he came through had a small gap where one of the leaves was smaller than the others, so made a small gap for someone his size or smaller to fit through. He almost fell through, and used his talons to quickly grab on a stick to hold him up. He heard a small creak, and that was the signal to let go. Using his wings, he glided down, using the darkness as cover. Inside the club was filled with Spix's and Scarlet's and a few others types of birds here and there. This club had been opened along the boundary of the Spix/Scarlet macaw border, and was open to all. Even a few other animals had joined in on the party.

Lucas hid behind a rock that was used as a seat at an empty table, which was just a larger rock. So far, no one had noticed him. From afar, he spotted his first target. He darted back and forth through the crowd, using his speed and cunning to avoid being stepped on or noticed. It only made him look weirder, and a few confused glances were cast in his direction as he _tried_ to be a ninja. Once in reach, his wings shot out with one of them cupping over the chick's beak and the covering his chest.

"Hey-" was all his younger brother managed to squeak before he was pulled back deeper into the crowd, closer to the music. Lucas uncovered Roderick's beak, but still held a feather on it to make sure he stayed quiet. Once it was gone, he spoke in a quiet, but irritated tone. "What was that for?" he asked. "And what are you doing here? I thought you were told to stay at home."

"Sorry. I didn't want anyone to see me. _Especially_ our mom. She would kill me if she found me." Roderick folded his wings across his chest and rolled his eyes. He could easily guess why he was really here, but kept it to himself.

"Okay then. So _you_ want _me_ to help you hide from mom?" Lucas nodded happily with a wide smile. "I don't know. I could get in a lot of trouble" he stated hesitantly, hiding the smirk on one side of his face. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. He got on his knees, holding the ends of his wings together before putting on his 'puppy eyes'. That's when he decided to give in. "Okay. But you owe me."

"Thanks, bro. You're the best." He disappeared as quickly as he appeared, leaving Roderick alone in the dancing crowd. He already had a plan in mind, and it didn't include him getting caught. As long as Lucas played his part as well.

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Lucas came from the crowd, his eyes darting from one to another. Then, they suddenly stopped when they found their search ended. Right in the middle of the dance floor was the girl of his dreams. The only child of his Aunt Carla. She danced in an empty area in the middle of the crowd. He started to move towards her, though stopped himself when he spotted the familiar head of his mother. With her was Great Aunt Jewel, which he called her, even though his mother and father didn't see it as nice, but rude since it was basically calling her old.

He ducked down as her head moved into his direction, only just missing him. He waited for a short moment, then lifted it up again to see that she was gone. Quickly he scanned the surrounding area, and once he was sure they were gone, took his chance. He got to the edge of the circle she stood in when he found himself standing in another's shadow. Slowly, he looked up. He wished he hadn't as his father's disappointing eyes looked down on him.

"H-hi again, dad. H-how'd you get h-here?" he wondered aloud. His father's face did not flinch one bit, but his eye seemed to smile.

"With some help. I might not have, if not for your nicely done trap." There was a dark tone to his voice. Lucas could tell that he was not happy. But what was he to expect from him. He never did like it.

* * *

 **Twenty minutes Ago...**

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Will felt his tired eyelids slowly drooping over his eyes. He had lost all feeling in his talons a few minutes ago, and longed to stretch his wings again. The ropes around him prevented him from doing anything like that, so all he could do was wait until help arrived.

A long sigh escaped his beak, and soon his eyes were closed as a range of thoughts ran through his mind.

" _What was I thinking? I should have kept my eyes on him. How could I been so stupid?!"_ He let out a grunt, adding a little aggression to it as he mentally kicked himself. He wondered if he should fall asleep, and was close to it. That was until he could hear a wing beat outside, followed by a distinct voice.

"Will?! Are you inside? Listen, Larissa just wanted to check up on you on my way to pick something from home, and so I'm h-Oh cheese and sprinkles!" Blu exclaimed, staring in disbelief at my situation. Will looked up at his talons in shame.

"This is Lucas's doing" he stated, and explained how he got into this situation.

"Reminds me too much of Tiago when he was younger" Blu chuckled to himself. "Here, let me help." Blue walked over to the net of nuts and inspected the vine. He then gave a nod and moved his beak towards it. Will realized his plan, and knew it would only result in pain.

"Um, that's not necessaryyyy!" he screeched as he fell after the vine was snapped by Blu's beak. He hit his hard hard on the floor with a big thwack. Blu cringed and immediately rushed over to help William up. He pulled him to his feet and helped dust his feathers off. He stumbled a bit, his talons feeling numb. "Thanks, I guess. Though I would have rathered that you had done it another way." Blu smiled sheepishly and in his eyes was an apology. Will immediately thought back to how he had gotten there in the first place, and explained everything to Blu.

"He might have gone to the party. If we leave now, we might still catch him. That's if he was anything like my own son." Will nodded and led the way, before quickly stopping and letting Blu shoot ahead before he realized Will had stopped. He came back to find he hadn't even left the tree.

"Just a minute. My wings are asleep." Blu stood beside him in an awkward silence until he was ready, and they were off again. On the way, Will thought of the many things he could do to make sure his son would never leave again. And the first he checked off was books.

* * *

 **Present...**

* * *

Lucas shrunk back at his father's menacing stature, his eyes stern. The rest of his face was neutral, and that's what scared him the most. He knew he was in trouble, and yet William showed none of his anger, except through his body language and eyes. Mostly the eyes. And then, the cold, lecturing voice followed.

"You are in big trouble mister" he declared, scowling down at him. Lucas looked down at the ground, scuffing his talon across the ground. "But..I guess if you really want to, I'll turn my eye. But only for a minute." Lucas' face lightened up and he smiled. "And don't let your mother see you, or we're both in trouble." He nodded and headed into the circle. There, he found her. He slicked back his head feathers and tidied up quickly, then approached her. He gained her attention right away, and she showed him a friendly smile.

"Hey, Lucas! Didn't know you came here!" she shouted over the music. He shrugged, not giving a straight answer.

"I'm not staying! Just wanted to say hi!" It disheartened him to say that. He really wanted to stay. Her smile faded slightly.

"Okay" she replied quietly. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" Lucas hesitated on his answer. He may be grounded the next day, and if he was, then he wouldn't see her. In the end, he made his decision.

"Sure. See you then." He sent a playful wink to her, which she returned with a light nudge. He then started to walk away, never taking his eyes from her. He ended up stumbling backwards, earning a giggle from her. Lucas smiled back, acting as if nothing had happened before returning to his dad. Already he felt sad. "Let's get this over with." William took flight once they were outside, and Lucas followed soon after.

* * *

Will watched his son as he moped towards the kid's nest and sat himself down sulkily. The older macaw shook his head lightly and surprised the chick when he sat down next to him.

"I hope you learned your lesson today." Lucas made no effort to answer. Will didn't scold him though, and instead continued. "I could have been hurt. A few pranks and tricks is okay, but too many can hurt people. Do you understand?" Lucas finally turned his head, and it pained William's heart to see him crying. "Come here." He opened his wings towards his son, and Lucas did not pause as he jumped into them. At the same time, Larissa came flying in with the other kids.

"How sweet" she whispered to them. "Maybe I'll wait till later to tell them that I saw them there. What do you think?" Roderick nodded, and Emma said nothing.

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 **Hello, readers out there! I hope you are enjoying this so far. If any of you have any ideas for later chapters, feel free to submit them. See you in the next one :)**


	4. New Agent

**Sorry for the long wait. It's been busy with exams and other stuff, so hope you enjoy :)**

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Will waited on the edge of the Spix macaw territory expectantly, keeping an eye out for the old falcon and owl. The day before, the blue bird had received a notice of his old friend, Zeel. Zeel was also an agent, so he expected that it wasn't just for a friendly visit, and possibly a routine check up on the area. On the notice, the falcon had also mentioned that he was bringing over a new recruit as well, and that excited William. He was very enthusiastic when it came to meeting new people, as long as they weren't trying to kill him.

Will suddenly felt a presence beside him and swiveled his head his mate Larissa. With her, she had their two sons and one daughter. It would be their first time meeting Zeel, since all the other times they were too young to remember.

"When did he say he would be here?" she asked impatiently. This was the fourth time she had returned to check up, and she wasn't one for patience. William shrugged, looking forward uneasily. He started to feel worried. It wasn't like Zeel to be late. Then again, he did forget to mention where exactly he would be coming from. For all Will knew, the agent could be waiting for him at his own home. Just that one thought gave him the urge to return, but if he did, he might miss Zeel's arrival. And for his children's sake, that was something he didn't want.

As they were about to give up hope and turn to leave, Roderick froze and stared into the tree line. Will returned to his side and put a wing on his shoulder.

"We need to head back. We'll come back later, okay?" But he didn't move. Will's gaze soon followed his, then he was thrilled to find a familiar bird flying towards them. "Larissa! They're here!" A loud sigh of relief escaped her as she returned to his side. Within seconds, the large owl landed before them with a falcon in his talons. It seemed that his injuries were still bad enough to render him flightless, so the owl, Fortune, was always by his side. In fact, the falcon looked more frail than before. His last operation here really did do long term damage.

Not too far behind lingered a black owl, perching itself beside them. Will assumed that this was the new recruit mentioned. He looked quite young, and had head feathers that looked like horns. His yellow eyes appeared to glow, and Will felt a shiver as the yellow orbs were set on him.

"It's great to see you again, Zeel" Will openly admitted, stretching open his wings. Zeel at first was surprised by the gesture, as his was leading to a shake with his wing, but then accepted and returned the friendly hug.

"Likewise." They broke it and Larissa did the same. And then when Fortune greeted them, he hugged them both, and rather tightly. After all the greetings were exchanged, Zeel began conversation. "It has been too long since our last meeting. How has life been to you and your family? Have you fared well?"

"Yes, we have" Will replied happily, holding his mate closely by his side. Both smiled happily, as did their children in front of them. Zeel knelt down to their level.

"And these must be your children. Time really does fly, because the last time I saw them, they were so small. And now look how big they have grown." Both of the boys beamed while Emma half hid behind her mother. Larissa tried to urge her forward, but gave up when she wrapped her wings around her leg.

"Let go Emma, and say high" Larissa requested in a soothing tone. "Zeel is a friend." Emma cautiously stepped out into the open, then after a hesitant look, slowly walked towards the falcon. He ran a wing across the top of her head, and she looked calm once more. The two brothers walked up to Fortune curiously, and without warning, were brought into a crushing embrace.

"Help!" Lucas squawked just as he and his little brother were brought in. Will strolled over, chuckling as he did, and politely insisted on Fortune letting them go. He did it without pause, and they dropped to the ground. Will ushered them to their mother before engaging in conversation with the large owl.

"How have things been?" he asked.

"Excellent. We have encountered the Agency only a few times, with no casualties" he replied with such speed that Will almost didn't understand. William raised a feather to point out that was not what he meant, but then decided against it, since it wouldn't do much. He then turned his attention to the black owl they had brought in. Fortune answered the question in the blue macaw's head before he could even ask it, "That is our new recruit. Joined two weeks ago." Will slowly nodded, not taking his eyes off the bird that stared right back.

"Hi there" he said politely, waving a wing over to the owl. It stayed very still, almost like a statue. William leaned closely to Fortune and whispered, "Can he talk?"

"Of course I can talk!" the black owl exclaimed, startling the macaw family. Emma shot back to her mother, and the two boys almost jumped back off the tree they were all perched on. "Sorry. I did not mean to startle you. Why, I never would be so rude to a hero." William's brow creased slightly as the owl bowed to him quickly.

"I see I'm quite the celebrity" Will murmured to Zeel.

"Indeed you are. You did stop two Agency leaders almost single handedly." Will appreciated this, but also thought it to be a bit too much. Will's eyes squinted at the falcon, then he swiveled his head towards the recruit with a friendly face.

"What's your name?" he asked. There was no pause before he answered.

"Jameson...Jameson the black owl!" His wing shot up in the air, like a fist pump. Will slowly nodded.

"Okay. So, this is my mate, Larissa," he started with a wing around her and bringing her forward. "and these are my children. Lucas, Roderick and Emma." With each name, they brought themselves to attention before him. Though Emma was hesitant.

"Hello, kids." Emma stepped back when the owl made an approach. "It's okay. I'm a friendly guy" he tried to reason with a smile while holding out his wing. She peeked our from behind her mother, then after some thought, very hesitantly touched his wing. "See? Friendly." Will felt his heart warm as she heard his daughter's laughter, and her smile.

"Okay, that's enough. Honey, can you take them home. Me and Zeel need to talk." She nodded and started to gather them up.

"Jameson. Go with them" Zeel nodded. He nodded obediently and went with the family. When he was gone, Zeel gave another order, this time to Fortune. "Stay with him. The Agency could be anywhere." He gave a wing salute and flew after them.

"Still as cautious as when we first met" Will snickered, his wings crossed against his chest. Zeel's eyes became like slits to form a glare, but in a friendly way.

"And you are just as carefree" he countered. Will chuckled half-heartedly, amused and mildly surprised by his response. But just as he expected, the agent went straight onto the purpose of his visit. The _real_ purpose. "William. There have been possible sightings of Agency operatives in this area." Will rolled his eyes.

"Of course. You never visit just to say hi." By the look on Zeel's face, he wasn't happy by that remark. He frowned, and didn't bother making a reply.

"Have you seen anything odd recently?" he asked.

"No. Everyday day here has been completely ordinary. So back to before, why haven't you visited?" This time, Zeel did answer. He didn't seem to happy.

"It has been very busy since the Agency dispersed. That has made it harder for us to find them. Is that enough complaining, or do you have more questions for me?" Will opened his beak to answer, only to close it again. "Very well. Let us go back to your family, then" Zeel said, his expression lightening up now. But Will still had a scowl as they left.

* * *

Will was the first to arrive, flying into the hollow with the scowl still on his face. Zeel came in soon after and greeted everyone again. William stalked off to the other end. Larissa looked back and forth between the two, and with a worried look went over to her mate.

Meanwhile, Jameson was showing off his gadgets.

"And check this out" he said, pulling out a small metal stick. All three kids looked at it in confusion. Before any of them could ask what it was, something clicked on it and it suddenly extended, becoming thicker towards the end. Lucas recognized the object as a bat. It resembled a baseball bat with a dark shade to it. Emma was caught by surprise and darted behind her two brothers, who had also flinched at the sudden movement.

"That. Is. Awesome" Lucas remarked, smirking with his eyes on the bat. Zeel came over and calmly placed a wing on the bat.

"Jameson, that is no toy. It is a dangerous weapon. So please, put it away." The black owl nodded and folded it back before putting it back in his pack. "Thank you for your time, but I'm afraid that we must leave now. We may come again, so until then, farewell." He bowed his head slightly in farewell then left with Fortune and Jameson in tow.

"Goodbye, Uncle Zeel!" The kids called out after him. Larissa and William came out just in time to say their farewells, then they were gone.

"You could have been nicer" Larissa suggested to her mate, and all she got from him was a groan.

"Well he could have visited more often. Sure, he's busy with saving the world, but he's like family. I..." The male blue macaw let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. Larissa knew the perfect way to cheer him up.

"How about we have a day alone? I'll drop the kids at Bia's. She'd be happy to look after them. What do you say?" she asked with her wings wrapped around his chest. He smiled and nuzzled his beak against her head.

"I'd be glad."


	5. Home Sick

**I didn't have many ideas when I did this, so this chapter is a bit short. Hopefully the next one will be longer. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review :)**

* * *

William stood at the entrance, gazing at the sun like every other morning. The only difference was that it wasn't morning, but in fact the afternoon. Sunset would be soon, and he had done almost nothing today. There was a reason for it, though. His wings drooped at his sides, he eyes sticking to his talons. His eyes were red from crying earlier, but silent crying. Now, he just felt in the dumps. The macaw finally looked up at the sound of wing beats to find his mate perching by his side. She had a worried look on her face.

"Is something wrong?" she asked quietly, being careful that the kids didn't hear. Whatever it was that had him upset, it probably wasn't something for them to hear. He made no effort to move his beak, and only turned away. "Don't want to talk?" Once again, no answer. And that frustrated her. With a groan, she started to enter the hollow, leaving him outside. "Fine! Not like you've done anything today!" Will wanted to say something, but he just couldn't. Because he was sick, in a way. Thinking of how to fix it, he came up with an idea. Someone that must have felt the same once, and headed in their direction.

It wasn't long before he arrived, but every second more would most likely cause Larissa more worry. He raised a talon and knocked on the wood, startling the blue macaw inside. The macaw jumped and pivoted around, then sighed in relief to see a friend.

"Will! Wait, what are you doing here? It's almost the end of the day" Blu stated questionably. Will gave him a pleading look and sat down, welcoming himself inside. Of course, he was always welcome.

"Blu...I need you help." Blu nodded and sat by him.

"Anything to help a friend. Even though I've almost died a few times doing so." He chuckled lightly, but stopped when he caught William glaring at him. "Right. So, what is it that you need?"

"Advice." Blu made a confused face, trying to figure out what with. He knew it couldn't be about Larissa, because everything seemed fine with them. Maybe it was to do with the kids, but then he noticed that William looked upset. Really upset, like he was missing something.

"What's wrong?" he questioned. Will laid down on his back, and suddenly Blu felt like a psychiatrist. Will had his wings folded across his chest and got himself comfortable with his head against the edge of the nest with his back on the floor.

"I..think I've been homesick." Blu bobbed his head up and down.

"And when did this begin?"

"This morning, after a dream of my old family."

"And how does this make you feel?" There was a long pause as William thought on it.

"It...has made me sad, actually. I miss home, and I don't want to go back, but part of me wants to." Will sighed, then frowned when he heard a page flipping and turned his head to see Blu with a small notebook, writing in it with his talon. "Really?" he asked while he raised a brow in a questioning manner.

"What? It seemed right at the time" Blu reasoned. He slid it away with a nervous laugh, then got back to business. "Well, I don't know how to help." He paused, then smiled when an idea came to him. "Why don't you visit them?" The suggestion made William's eyebrows raise. And then Will smiled.

"I knew you could help" he remarked, running to the exit. "Thanks for everything!" he called back as he flew away to tell Larissa the news. Hopefully she would enjoy it.

* * *

"What?! You want to go where?!" Will cringed at his wife's loud voice, glancing to look at his sleeping children to make sure they weren't startled. Once he was sure that they hadn't been stirred, he went back to talking with his mate.

"Please. I miss them, and the last time you met them, they didn't get to know you that well." She tapped a feather to her beak, thinking about it. And her decision was made when he made the 'puppy dog eyes'. She sighed, placing a wing against her forehead. And that usually meant that it was a yes, but only because there was no way for her to win.

"Fine." Will pumped a wing in the air, and received a quirky look from her.

"Sorry. Got caught in the moment."

"So when will we be visiting?" Will's face immediately fell and his head dropped to his talons while he made circles with a talon. He felt so silly. "You didn't think of that, did you?" She tapped her claws against the floor expecting an answer. He didn't answer after some time, a couple of times raising his index feather with a lightened face, then dropping it.

"How about...tomorrow?" he mumbled. She glared at him and then shook her head.

"You're unbelievable."

"Okay. What about next week?" She looked hesitantly at the ceiling, then nodded. Will whooped with joy and threw his wings up in the air, involuntarily waking the children. "Smooth, wonder whooper." He made a bashful look as he dropped his wings, laughing nervously.

"What's going on?" his oldest son asked. That brought a smile back.

"Well, I've got news." All three kids sat down, waiting for good news. "Next week, we are going to visit my parents!" Lucas shrugged as if it was nothing, Lucas nodded his head enthusiastically and Emma rocked back and forth with excitement. "I knew you'd be excited. Now get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." That's when they all groaned.

"But you said it's not until next week" Lucas whined. William shook his head.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that we can't prepare. Now get to bed." They all turned away and slowly dragged their talons across the ground with each step.

"Maybe we can give them a day off tomorrow." William, was about to argue, but when he saw his children pleading eyes, he sighed, then nodded.

"Okay." The kids made a whoop of their own and hugged their parents before going off to bed.

"And that means that we have a day to ourselves" Larissa whispered into Will's ear. He grinned cheekily, and they shared a kiss before going to sleep themselves. All he could think about was how good it would be to see the folks again.


	6. Family Visit

The morning was full of activity and excitement. William was very overwhelmed with enthusiasm, since today was the day they began there journey to see his parents. His children were eager to meet them for the first time, and Cody was also excited to come and see his first home country, and show Lilian the sights. His old companion, Caitlin, had agreed to take them. So everyone was excited. Except one female blue macaw. Larissa wasn't as keen as the others, because she enjoyed the comforts of home. She was fine with visiting her parents-in-law, but to go a long distance from home was a new thing for her. She hadn't even been to Rio before. And she couldn't hold in feelings like others could. Luckily for her, the one she loved was coming by, and noticed that she looked a bit down. Unlike him, she was truthful about her feelings, and tried really hard not to hide them.

"Larissa, are you okay?" he asked in a concerning tone. She shook her head and resumed preening herself. Will sat beside her and took one of her wings in his own.

"I'm worried. I've never been further than that human structure nearby, and I've heard so much about those...cities" she finally said after searching for the right word. Even with someone that was once part of that civilization, she still couldn't understand some of those words. William hugged her comfortingly, his warmth radiating through her.

"You'll be fine. I will be with you every second." She quickly gave an skeptical look. "I promise" he added, then rested his beak against hers and they closed their eyes, enjoying the moment. It was too bad it had to be ruined.

"Come on, dad! I don't want to be left behind!" Lucas shot back out, leaving his parents with bewildered expressions. Never had they seen their son so excited.

"We'd better go" Will stated. "Don't want him to force us out, now do we?" Larissa nodded and they were both, but at a steady pace. They were in no hurry, since they were the ones the others were waiting for. So they could take all the time they wanted. They tried to enjoy the moment, though when they were close to the meeting place, they were met with impatient looks.

"What were you doing that took so long?" Lilian queried.

"I have an idea" Cody snickered, earning a stomp on his talon. He made a small yelp, and his wing flew to his beak to stop it from coming out. But it was too late for that, and William smirked at him.

"Sorry. We were having a little talk" Will explained, and winked at Larissa. She knew why he did that, and would thank him later. Even though she did share her feelings, it was sometimes uncomfortable to do so in public. It was too bad though that Blu and his family could not join him, because they were going on a trip to Rio for the summer. Will was sure they would have enjoyed it, save for the snakes and spiders and other deadly creatures. He shuddered just thinking back on them, and actually began rethinking the trip. Then again, they wouldn't be anywhere near the wilderness. His parents lived in the suburbs, so they should be fine. That made the fear disappear. At that moment, a tall human joined the scene.

"You all ready?" Caitlin asked. They all nodded eagerly. "Then let's go!" she cheered, and they headed to the sanctuary building, where their transportation awaited them.

* * *

The trip wasn't too long, because all they needed to do was get to the nearest airport. After all of the necessary protocols of going through the airport, they were off into the sky. Will didn't seem very comfortable in the cage, and neither did anyone else but Cody. He was enjoying the ride, and Lilian slept uneasily on his chest. Will sat back against the bars, and his eyelids slowly drooped. Though they weren't closed for long when he felt a soft body against his own chest, and found Larissa passed out against him. Their kids laid around them, sound asleep. Now only him and the green macaw remained awake.

"It's good, isn't it?" Cody asked, drawing Will's attention and confusion.

"What is?"

"Returning home." He sighed happily, looking at the ceiling of the cage. "You must miss your parents, huh?" Will nodded, and his face fell. "Don't worry. I'm sure they would glad to see you." But Will shook his head.

"That's not it. It's just that...well, last time I saw them was a couple of years ago. What if something has happened to them? I couldn't live with myself if something had." Cody's face fell too.

"I know what you mean." He paused, took a breath, then continued. "After my escape, the first place I went to was home. I expected a warm welcome. But I got the opposite. They insulted me and sent me away, just because I was different. My own family sent me away." Will gasped, his eyes full of apology. "There's nothing you have to be sorry for. Though sometimes I wish i could go back. But if I did, then I wouldn't have any of this" he added, gesturing to his friends and Lilian. "I wouldn't be living the good life."

"What about your family? Ever heard from them since?"

"Nope. And a good thing too. They'd probably insult me more." He put his wings behind his head and let out a yawn. "It's a long way. Get some sleep." Will obliged, and quickly nodded off, wrapping his family in his wings.

* * *

He awoke some time later to feel the plane jolt. The sudden movement woke everyone else up, and his children jumped in fear.

"It's okay. We're here." He looked at the door, waiting. Then, it opened and light poured in. Already he could feel the memories rushing back. The radiating sun high above, the clear air and the warm winds. Just how he remembered it. "Larissa, kids...welcome to Australia." He could hear there gasps of bewilderment and amazement. They had landed in the north of Queensland, where it was quite tropical and humid. It was the best place for them, besides going to somewhere like the city of Canberra. Even now he felt the cold that was around there.

"It's good to be back" Cody murmured. The cages were pulled out, and after going through the airport, they were back with Caitlin. She put them into the back of a taxi, and the ride wasn't too long. Soon, they stopped out the front of an easily recognizable house. The walls were grey, with a black roof, with gauze windows and door. They were let out of their cages and William soared over to the front door. Once everyone caught up, he pecked at the door bell. There was a ringing sound, then the door opened to reveal a woman.

"Hello there. How may I-William?" He nodded, and then was pulled into an embrace that was a bit too hard. He squawked, and she let go, looking slightly bashful. "I'm sorry. But it's been so long." She stood there for a long moment, then shook her head to clear her mind. "Oh, please come in!" They all welcomed themselves inside. Will flew through the house, taking in the sights that brought back memories. "My husband is out, but he should be back soon. Would you like some coffee?"

"No thank you" Caitlin politely said. But her eyes were at other places, taking in the scene. "This is a lovely home you have."

"Why, thank you!" William's mother looked down and spotted Larissa, and kneeled down to her level. "Hello, dear. Do you need anything?" Larissa shook her head. Then the kids popped out, feeling a little shy around the human. "And these must be my grandchildren!"

"Say hi to your grandmother" their mother urged, edging them forward. Lucas gulped, then said his greetings. But all that came out was squawk. The same happened with Emma. But when Roderick did, he surprised everyone.

"Hello, ma'am." His grandmother's tongue almost fell out from her agape mouth. His own mother's beak fell open because she knew why the old woman had reacted that way. She had understood him.

"Hey guys! You should see the rest of this place! It's just like how I- Is something wrong?" he asked as he came back flying down the hall.

"Honey. We need to talk. Now." Will didn't like the tone in her voice, and followed along.

"What happened? Why is my mother's mouth hanging open, and I know it isn't to catch flies."

"She understood Roderick" she answered plainly. Will's eyes bulged. It may have been good news, but also bad news. Since his old enemies were still out there, they would find his son _interesting_ , and that wasn't a good thing. Just imagining him being taken away made his blood boil.

"We can't let Zeel know. I don't want him to have a life like mine." His face fell, and he sighed in sadness. Larissa hugged her mate close. "I could never live with myself. It's my fault he is like this." He heard a shocked gasp, and felt a feather against his lower beak that lifted it up.

"Don't you _ever_ say that!" Larissa relaxed herself, and her eyes were once again loving and peaceful. "It is not your fault. It was never your fault. Do you understand?" He nodded, and they shared a kiss. She was the first to speak after they broke it. "Good. Now let's enjoy today." She left, her tail feathers swishing from side to side. He couldn't help but glance, though managed to peel his eyes away after a second. But he did hear a giggle, so he knew he had been caught.

 _"Just enjoy the day"_ he thought to himself. _"We can worry about this later."_ After he finished with his thoughts, he joined the others.


	7. Another Day On The Job

**This chapter was inspired by something I recently, Kingsman, The Secret Service**

* * *

It had all been quiet outside. A bit too quiet. But the guards didn't seem to take any notice of that. There was a small variety of them, with two being small eagles and the other four crows, each having a tool belt with a couple of weapons and other useful gadgets. They were too busy playing around with bets to pass the time. Around them were steel walls.

"Ha! I win!" one of them announced, pumping his wings in the air. The others either silently accused him of cheating or shook their heads in their own wings. "You should know by now that you shall never beat me!" In front of him were small playing cards, like the ones humans use but scaled down. And instead of money, they bet with what they had on them. Such as personal gadgets given to them by their superiors.

One of the guards, however, had his attention diverted elsewhere. To a scraping just outside the door. Then an echoing knock followed. They all shot up from their seats and readied their extendable batons in their talons, one of them setting the electric shock on. It was used to stun their opponents for longer, but if set high enough, could be used to kill. And that used most of it's battery, so he kept it on stun. Another knock came, this time more louder, indicating that whatever, or whoever knocked, was hitting harder. One approached, and as he unlatched the lock, quickly leapt back as it opened, revealing an old falcon, the shadows covering his face. In one wing he held a cane against the ground, the other over the top of the first. Around his waist he wore a small belt, similar to the ones the guards owned. A couple of the guards snickered.

"And what might such an old bird be doing somewhere this high up in the mountains of Alaska? Lost your way?" the lead guard jested, than began chuckling, his plump belly jiggling as he did. The others followed along.

"On the contrary, I am right where I wish to be. Now, if you wish to keep all your bones unbroken and away from being in hospital, I suggest you move aside." The guards stood on the spot, stunned by the intruders threats. And then they burst into laughter. None of them happened to notice a grin appear on the falcon's beak. "I warned you."

"What are you gonna do?! Whack us on the head with that flimsy cane of yours, calling us 'young whippersnappers'!" The other guard's laughter intensified, and soon they were falling all over each other. The falcon waited, leaning forward on his wooden stick, the curved handle in his wing.

"I don't like that. You should be taught some manners." One of the guards eyes twitched, showing a hint of annoyance. The others cracking their talons and necks, readying for a fight.

"Who do you think you are?" His grin grew, and then his head lifted enough for his dark green eyes to be visible.

"My name...is Zeel. And you shall remember that name as the one who beat you." At once, he made his move. It was fast like lightning, and before anyone could make even a peep, he was upon his first victim with a forward and a downwards kick, bringing his good talon upon the eagle's head with a cracking sound following. He then landed on a knee with one wing against the ground and the other holding his cane upright. "Who shall be next?" he asked in a quizzical fashion.

At once, they all charged, filling the room with enraged cries. One swung with his baton in his talon. Zeel bent his back back, and the baton swiped over. From the momentum, his talon kept on going around and smacked into an allies beak. Then he fell on his side, so that was two down. That left three more, one of which was the second eagle. The fourth and fifth charged simultaneously, and Zeel spun out of the fourth's way, swinging his cane into the side of fifth's head. The sixth, which was the eagle, hanged back as Zeel fended off the fourth, being a crow. The eagle was the buffest of them, and no doubt would be a tough opponent. Not to mention the electrified baton.

The crow made a stabbing motion with his baton, and Zeel sidestepped while pivoting on his talon to face his opponent, then grabbed his wing and twisted it. He turned his head to find that the second and third were getting up, and were fully recovered from their blows. The falcon wouldn't let that happen, and threw a baton at his feet towards the second, hitting him square in the face. Once again, the guard was down. The third, however, wasn't as easy as the first time. He threw a punch, just barely missing Zeel. The falcon twisted his upper body to the side, and at the same time stuck his leg out. The crow was sent rolling out the door soon after. All that was left standing was the buff eagle.

"You are going down, you wrinkling mass of grey feathers." Zeel knew it was an insult, but had been trained to keep a calm mind. No taunts affected him, though they were his best weapon. He lifted a wing, and flexed the ends oh his primaries.

"Why don't you make me?" The eagle's eyes narrowed, and there was a small silence. Then he lunged forward. Zeel sidestepped and flipped his cane back to his left side, destabilizing his posture for a mere second. He then swung it forward, aiming for his victim's head. The eagle ducked, and spun around as he was low. Zeel jumped up, and the baton went under his talons, then he flipped to the side. The falcon used this moment as his chance and whacked him across the back of his head. "And that is why you should not cross me" the victor triumphantly remarked. Though as he did, he did not notice one of the crows rising up, his baton raised. Then he fell forward, alerting Zeel.

"You are good in combat, but you are lacking in watching your surroundings." Zeel smirked at his companion.

"That is why I have you. Everyone needs a partner, and I did train you. Did I not, Fortune?" The large owl nodded and withdrew his upraised wing. "Are the others here?" He nodded once more. "Good. Call them in." Fortune turned to the open entrance and let out a loud hoot. They waited for a few seconds, then two more figures entered the hall. One a female Spix macaw with emerald eyes, and the other a male black owl.

"We came as soon as you called" the Spix macaw began.

"Where are the bad guys?" the black owl asked eagerly. The Spix macaw rolled her eyes and looked away from him.

"Mema, you are to go with Fortune to the second entrance. I'll take Agent Jameson with me. Let's get a move on." The other three nodded affirmatively and they all moved out with their given tasks. Jameson stayed by his partner, and with a flick of his primaries, they moved forward. But at a slow and quiet pace.

"Stay by me. And be quiet" Zeel ordered with an extremely stern tone. Jameson saluted and stayed back, both of them hugging the steel wall.

Further down the hall, Zeel stopped before stopping an eager owl. "Stay here. Something up ahead." Out of his pack, Zeel pulled out a small rectangular device with a small camera that could extend, and pulled the camera so it would bend around the corner. On the screen, he saw a small turret attached to the roof. He holstered the camera and glanced back at the young agent behind him. "Gun turret. With a motion sensor, no doubt. I'll deal with this." He pulled out another device, this time it was spherical. He pressed a button, and it began beeping. He through it around the corner, and before the gun could fire, the grenade detonated, sending out an electro-magnetic pulse, deactivating the turret. "It's down. Let's get going." They started down the corner, but halfway Zeel and Jameson were forced to take cover as a large bird came around. Upon his shoulders were a pair of cannons. The rounds fired tore through the wall where the two agents once stood.

"I'll deal with this" Jameson said, earning a nod that gave him the go ahead.

Jameson turned away and from the back of his belt he withdrew his own baton. But unlike the others, it had many capabilities. He pulled out both ends, and with a click, a circular shield came around it from the sides, with the middle of the baton as the handle. He counted silently, then in an instant he charged out. He began walking at a steady pace, the rounds ricocheting off his metallic shield. Zeel stayed on his tail, and they both slowly approached. Once close enough, Zeel took a step onto Jameson, taking him by surprise. He then sent himself into a roll forward and pulled a hidden trigger on his cane, firing a dart from it's end. It hit it's mark, embedding into it's victim's neck. It's wing went to it's neck, and then slowly toppled, passing out in the end.

"What was that for?!" the black owl exclaimed, rubbing his now sore shoulder.

"Terribly sorry. I thought it as the only possible way to get him down without injury. Should I have killed him?"

"Not that! Why'd you stand on my shoulder?" But Zeel hadn't heard him. He was looking down at the unconscious guard. He was studying the harness the weapons were mounted on in awe. But also with a hint of fear.

"In all my years, never have I seen such a thing. Turrets, I've seen plenty. But this.." He nudged the left shoulder cannon with his good talon. "This is a first. We need to warn the council when we get back. Look at what it did to your shield." They both glimpsed at it to find deep dents in the metal. "That was built for blades and arrows. Not bullets." Jameson's beak almost fell completely open.

"You mean I could have died?!"

"I would not have allowed it." That made Jameson feel a bit more safer. And only a bit.

They pushed on through the empty steel halls, the cold of the mountain seeping through the vents lining the ceiling and the lower walls. No one else had come in their way, so everything had been quiet. Too quiet for Zeel's preference. They soon came across a rather interesting door, very different to the others they had seen.

"This must be it. Get ready." They took cover on either side of the door, and Zeel used the elbow part of his wing to press the button, and the door slid open with a hiss. They stepped in, both with weapons at the ready. In the center was their target, with two guards backing him up.

"Stop! Or you'll regret it."

"I doubt that" Zeel scoffed. At first, there was a rumbling. Then, from the vents above, Fortune and Mema dropped down onto the other guards. The target whirled around, only to receive a punch to the face. He doubled back, landing into Zeel's opened cuffs. "We have you now, doctor." He glanced at the others. "Let's get out of here." With that, they began backtracking, leaving the now abandoned base.


	8. Fatherly Dating Service

The rain poured from the sky, the grey clouds darkening the forest below. It made the atmosphere of the world around feel sad, and lonesome. The heavy downpour proved to be more than the Spix Macaw tribe had anticipated it to be, and therefore made it near impossible for any of them to take flight. If one of them did, they would surely fail, falling with the rain once their feathers became heavy with water. There was an occasional rumble in the distance, heralding the coming of the worst of this monsoon. The endless tapping of the droplets against the leaves and the wood kept many awake, with barely any animals getting any sleep, and went on without pause. There was a freezing cold breeze that seeped into the hollows of the tribe, nipping at the skin under their blue plumage. The only warmth was the touch of another's body against theirs. None of them could barely see anything, the rain creating a veil outside.

In one of the tribe's hollows, it was quite cramped, with there being at least six macaws, three of them being children and the other three being adults. Two of them were the parents of the children, and the third was their grandmother. The father was William, and the mother's name was Larissa. Two of the children were boys, and the youngest was a girl. The oldest son was Lucas, and the middle child, being the youngest son, was Roderick. The daughter's name was Emma. All six were huddled together in the center of the hollow, sitting together for warmth. The mother looked up from the bundle she was in and sighed as seeing the rain still falling.

"I wish this stupid storm would go soon" Larissa complained, her eyes filled with weariness. "I don't like being cramped up like this." Her mother made a comment that earned a blush from both of the parents.

"Aren't you always like this every night? With William here" she nudged him as she spoke his name. He looked away, trying his best to hide the embarrassment. It seemed to be amusing to his kids, and their mood brightened to see their father become as red as a scarlet macaw. Though only Lucas snickered.

"Mom! Now's not the time, especially not in front of the kids." Her mother pouted, though it quickly changed into a smug smirk as she watched her grand-kids laugh. Not even William's mate could resist a little smile at his reaction, and she quickly moved her primaries to her beak to halt a laugh. But her mother made so such effort, and giggled like she had suddenly become many years younger. Will could only scowl at them before turning away again, since his cheeks were still red as tomatoes. This went on for a short moment until a small yet cold gust of wind came through and brushed against them, sending a shiver up their bodies. They nuzzled against each other, their heads burying into their chest plumage, all connecting in the middle.

Will felt his chicks jump when there was a rumble of thunder nearby, followed by a bright flash. He brought one of them close, the other two going to their mother.

"It's okay, Roderick. It will pass soon. We'll be fine." His words comforted his son, but only little. For his son was the smartest of the three children, and he knew the damage lightning could cause. It could burn an entire forest to the ground with a single strike, leaving nothing but an ashen ground and burnt stumps of trees. The good news was that if a lightning strike did hit a tree, it would be very hard for it to spread. The rain made the forest wet, so it made it hard for any fire to spread anywhere. Will heard his wife's comforting words, her voice soothing his ears. Even with the storm outside, he felt at peace with her by his side. And what better way to be in a storm then with family. She glanced at him, and sent a loving smile. He returned it, only to receive a face of despair as another lightning strike hit, this time much closer. The flash was so bright, Will had to close his eyes for a second.

"That was close" Will murmured in a faint whisper, being sure not to worry the kids. There was a shudder of fear against him, and he found Roderick shaking, his gaze directed towards the storm outside.

"We should sleep. No reason for us to wait out the storm awake, is there?" Will nodded to his mate, and his eyelids drooped down as he brought his son closer. The oldest macaw, Larissa's mother, went straight to sleep in an instant. Soon, he felt a steady breathing against his chest, and he soon too drifted into his own sleep, but not before taking one last look at his family.

* * *

I woke to find a light shining into through the entrance of the hollow. But it was no lightning. It was in fact the one thing he had be longing for ever since the storm began. The sun bathed our little huddled with an orange glow. I reached over to my mate and nudged her with my wing. She reacted to the first, her eyes cracking open. She mumbled something, and when she saw the sun, her eyes grew wide.

"Yes! The storm is over!" She awoke her children and did a little dance around the hollow and sung words loudly. Sometimes, William could swear she was the child. But whenever he thought that, he suddenly thought it to be weird, so the thought was gone in a moment's notice. He rolled his eyes and stretched his wings, yawning as he did. His children did the same, their expressions showing slight irritation, accompanied by weird looks at their mother. Their grandmother was the only one who seemed to enjoy the dancing macaw.

"Um, Larissa" she stopped to find everyone staring, and her wings fell to her side, her face filled with embarrassment.

"I think.. I'm going to.. I'll just go get some breakfast" she stuttered, hurrying out. Her mother followed her out, leaving Will and his chicks. They all looked to him expectantly. He shrugged, and they all looked back to the entrance. A minute later, their breakfast came, consisting of three Brazil nuts. They only got three for the children, the adults knowing they can get some later. The two sons finished quickly, while Emma took her time. Lucas stood up and readied himself to leave, if it were not for a talon around his waist to hold him back. Yet Roderick was allowed to leave.

"I'm going to go to visit Bia and see if there is anything new she can teach me." Will and Larissa nodded, allowing him leave. When Emma finished, Larissa beckoned her over to the entrance.

"Let's go and see Jewel. Coming, mom?" Larissa's mother nodded and followed them out. Will took this as his chance and turned his son around to face him. All he earned was a frown with his wings folded across each other.

"Why are you keeping me back?! I haven't done anything!" Lucas argued. Will nodded, confusing his eldest child.

"I know. And that is not why I've kept you here." That only gained more confusion. "It's about what you were planning to do today. And I think it's time to give you some advice." Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"You want to give me advice? Please, I don't need advice." He turned to leave and spread his wings halfway, until his father mentioned something that brought him to a halt.

"Well, you could always mess it up then. With Carla's daughter." He glanced back, his eyes darting around nervously.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, dad. Now, I have to-"

"It's all right. I'm fine with it. But there are some things you should know. Such as gaining her father's trust." Lucas gave his father his full attention, folding his wings back. "Now, what you need to know is that her father is very protective of her little girl. So to earn his trust, you must be respectful, and never, under any circumstances, to you let her get hurt." Lucas nodded attentively, and Will continued. "And you don't have to only worry about her father. Carla may seem like one of those mother's who may need some parenting skills, but she is nowhere near them. Trust me, I've seen her. But I know she trusts you...Just don't get in the way of her work. She is very busy." There was a long silence.

"Is that it?" Will shrugged. "So I can leave?" He shook his head.

"Not without a hug" he said with a smirk. Lucas rolled his eyes and hugged his father, then left without warning. "They grow up too fast...and so do we" he finished, with a slight grim tone to it.

"That was nice of you." He turned, startled to find a familiar face. One he had not seen in a while. "You really are a good father, and a good husband." Will smiled proudly at his friend, Cody. "But a good friend, that's debatable." The smile changed into a glare, but he couldn't keep a straight face when Cody let out a light hearted chuckle. "I'm just kidding, mate!" Will crossed his wings, showing his disapproval.

"How has life been with you and Lil? You two been happy together?" The green macaw nodded. "That's good to know...So, have you thought f-"

"Don't. Just don't. As much as I like kids, I don't think I could handle some of my own." Cody leaned in a bit, looking around as if he was about to tell a huge secret. "And sometimes, I think Lilian's a child." Will gave an understanding nod.

"I know what you mean. Not what I would say about my first meeting though. I mean, at first she was all rude and closed up about things. Then, not soon after, she's all friendly. Seriously, I sometimes can't get women."

"I think the same. Just don't tell them that." Both the avians chuckled at his little joke, not knowing about the female Hyacinth outside. And she was going to have a talk with her life partner.

* * *

The young Spix came to a halt before his destination, staying in a hover. He recited what he was going to say. It sounded good in his mind, so what could go wrong. He knew Carla's mate to be a cool dad, much like Roberto in his younger days. So why did Lucas feel so uneasy? In truth, he didn't know himself. But it could have possibly been how his father had talked about him. And that was surprising, since Lucas was usually the one who usually did the scaring.

Above, the clouds were still grey, but they had parted enough for sunlight to peek through. The leaves were still dripping wet from the storm before. When he perched onto the branch, it was damp from the rain. He brushed his wings against his head feathers, smoothing them down. Then, he took his chance and trotted over to the hollow's entrance. He raised a curled talon and knocked on the wood next to he hole. He was not at all ready for the adult macaw that came to the entrance in almost an instant. This macaw was tall and burly, with a dark blue plumage and emerald green eyes. He looked down at the young macaw with a smirk, not noticing the gulp he made.

"Lucas?! How unexpected?!" The adult looked around, possibly to find the kid's parents, then moved his eyes back down to the young macaw. "What can I do for you, kiddo?"

"Um, I was just wondering if Ash was inside?" The adult ducked his head back inside and beckoned his daughter forth. And not too long after, she came to the entrance, beside her father. Ash was a lot like her mother, but had darker feathers like her father. She wasn't as plump as her mother, though. And not as tall as her father. In fact, she was the opposite of both. But her face was the spitting image of her mother.

"Hey Luke! How have you been?" she asked energetically. She was always like that. In her spare time, she would use her energy to dance or sing.

"I haven't been doing too much." He glanced at her father, who returned it with a quizzical look. "So, listen..Ash, I...I was just wondering if maybe, I don't know..we could go out to eat sometime. As friends." She didn't hesitate and shrugged.

"Why not? How about this afternoon?" He had a hopeful smile, and nodded. She smiled back. "Great. I'll see you then." With that, she left. And Lucas prepared to leave, but not before receiving a hard stare from her father.

"She better not get hurt." He gulped, and nodded in return, then left.

Once he was sure the young macaw was out of sight, Will came out into view.

"Never thought you could be so menacing. Never believed you could be so good at acting."

"Hey, I can be menacing if I want. And who said I was acting? I was being truthful."

"I get what you mean. And don't worry, if anything happens, I'll take care of it." They exchanged farewells, and then parted ways. "Now all I have to do is get Roderick with someone" he said to himself. He would never want to see his children lonely. Ever, and he would do anything to make sure they were happy.

* * *

 **Sorry about the wait. Been quite busy lately. And that may be why you might notice that I was lacking towards the end. So hope you enjoyed :)**


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